Sunday, October 24, 2010

cord and confessions

For some time now I've been ignoring an irksome niggle at the back of my head but it's become too loud and I'm having to come out of the closet and confront who I really am. I don't like shopping. I don't know how this happened to me but I really truly don't. Maybe this should be confined to 'high street shopping' where I feel overwhelmed and self conscious and overheated. Meandering though the rails in a second hand shop to a soundtrack most likely to consist of Waterloo Sunset by the Kinks (over time I've noticed it seems to be a Generic Vintage Shop Favourite) really isn't so bad and if you throw into the equation an undercrowded shopfloor and maybe a couple of fellow customers in inspiring get-ups and strategically placed coffee/cake breaks it can be a very joyful experience but otherwise I'd sooner stay at home and do it online with a plate of cheese on toast at my elbow.


I would wonder what was going through my mind when I thought a visit to the Arndale centre on a Saturday for a spot of lunchtime shopping a good idea but clearly my 'hate shopping' policy wasn't cemented when I woke up today. Although I was unsuccessful in finding the Navy 420 New Balance trainers I'd been after, I must award recognition to Topshop as I came across this gem of a button down cord skirt in a rusty colour which acted as the silver lining to the whole experience. 

Note the slightly eery low-light pictures of said skirt which I took while babysitting earlier. Yes, I am 19 and I still babysit. I have run this by friends to check that it's still legit. The conversation usually follows this template: 'Guys, is there an age in which it will be unacceptable for me to babysit? Or did it pass when I turned 15 and no one was polite enough to say?' The general consensus is usually 'dude, hold onto that biscuit tin and tv remote rourine for as long as possible, I'm jealous.' and I must admit that I love babysitting and in a Peter Pan way hope I never grow up just so I may continue. Luckily some friends of my Dad live in Manchester so I may watch Robin Hood (the Disney version with it's soundtrack to end all Disney soundtracks) with their 4 year old and leaf through the books in their cosy house. And escape grubby student kitchens for a few precious hours. Bliss.

And now to Edwyn Collins who has filled my brain with this tune all day:

16 comments:

Kellie said...

I love that skirt!!
And I don't think you're ever too old to babysit! It's a great job, really. Where else do you get to watch Disney movies, eat sweets, and get paid for it?!

Camille said...

Oh, lucky you, I've been looking for a skirt just like that for about a year without success! I find there's a general misconception that one who has an interest in clothing also enjoys going through store after store with a supposedly 'runway music' so loud it overwhelms all senses, making them impossible to function. It took me a long time to acknowledge it, but I hate 'high-street' shopping too.

ZERODECADES said...

Stevie I thought of you straight away when I saw this online!
I'm hoping we get in our store soon, It's so nice X

Emma Lavelle said...

Oh I really want this skirt, I saw it on the website a few days ago. There's also a blue velvet dress on there that I'd kill for.

I agree with you about high st shopping, especially the arndale centre at the weekend! I try to stay clear of the city centre unless I fancy a trawl around the northern 1/4.

And as for babysitting, I wish that I still had someone to baby sit for. The easiest money i've ever made was babysitting when I was younger

xx

Penny Dreadful Vintage said...

Great skirt, I love it. And I am with you, I hate shopping too, I just find it so stressful and horrid. I do most of my shopping online nowadays, and it is one reason why I decided to use that format for my own vintage store.

And you are never to old to babysit, especially when it means escaping your housemates for a while!

Just Another Londoner said...

Err babysitting is far and away one of the best jobs around, no way should you give it up!
And Waterloo Sunset-amazing song. Topshop should play it too, get it back into the Youth's consciousness.

No said...

i hear you on the shopping thing. i get so unnerved and then irritable but i DO love me some vintage purusing :-) I really love the colors of the skirts, too. very fall-like.

Alexandra said...

Love the skirt!
I'm glad corduroy is making a comeback!

http://herribbonsandherbows.blogspot.com/

Anonymous said...

gorgeous skirt - it looks exactly like something you'd wear!
i too don't like shopping and i hate admitting it when it's meant to be something i enjoy. But when you're trying to shift past 10 people looking at the same thing you were looking at and the temperature's clearly 40 degrees and the like (however much i think their music's good) are playing for the 100th time, the thought of sitting at home with a coffee in one hand and the possibilities of buying online is so comforting!

enjoy the babysitting! i should look into it, earn a few bob :)

x

daisy said...

i feel your guilt about not liking shopping! i hate it!
the skirt is beautiful and i love your blog, you have a really nice writing style. :)
x

Lisa said...

eh.... you hate shopping?

I can see why you don't like it, but hating it? sometimes I can't find anything nice to buy which makes me hate shopping for a moment, but what about the feeling of buying something, having enormous bags full of beautiful clothing which you can admiringly look at while you're having a cup of coffee? I think that 'real' shopping is better that online, I always order the wrong things, the wrong size, wrong color and so on...

x

foreignfashion.blogspot.com

Disneyrollergirl.net said...

Ooh love Edwyn, he made sushi for me once! Hope all's going well with the filming today missy ;)

Anonymous said...

wow!you make that skirt look GOOD!!

Anonymous said...

New Balance trainers? Gross.

disothequeinfusion said...

whats wrong with sickamore dining club's kitchen. you cant pick and choose babes

kelsea said...

this is darling!